Students discuss how they know certain aspects about their families and customs. As a class, they discover that life changes over time and stories are only preserved if they are told. They read many different pieces of literature to...

Students discover the characteristics that make a hero or heroine. They also look at how society recognizes its heroes and how the nation represents its values and beliefs by researching heroes from the past and present.

Learners research the Samurai and their Haiku Writings. Students use internet research to gather information about the ancient Japanese Samurai. The learners then create individual Haiku writings, and a cultural day is designated when...

Fifth graders practice making inferences on various types of reading material. As a class, they develop a definition of the word "theme" and discuss themes for some of their favorite stories. They use the context of the reading...

Students read a first person account of the bombing of Hiroshima written by a Japanese physician. By reading Michihiko Hachiya's journal, they discover the fatalities caused by the bomb itself and later by radiation poisoning. To...

Students discuss what respect means. In this character education lesson, students read the book Cynthia Ann Parker and discuss the philanthropic acts in the book. Students answer questions about the text on the provided worksheet.

Young scholars use Shakespearean sonnets as part of a poetry analysis lesson plan. In this sonnet lesson plan, students perform a sonnet by Shakespeare but treat it as a script to be acted out. Young scholars work in pairs to create...

Learners investigate sexism in history by identifying important women from the U.S.  In this women's equality lesson plan, students discuss why they remember more men in the history of the U.S. than women.  Learners compare...

Seventh graders explore nutrition and the effect it has by participating in class discussions.  In this diet and exercise lesson, 7th graders analyze print advertisements and discuss how unrealistic their expectations are and how...

Fifth graders read the book Through My Eyes by Ruby Bridges. In this segregation lesson, 5th graders read Ruby's story to find out what happened in her life. They write their own narrative about what 'first' they would most like to...

Fifth graders research United States history by exploring Roanoke Island. In this colony lesson, 5th graders identify North Carolina geography and the lost colony of Roanoke Island. Students complete a worksheet displaying the facts and...

Students discover the concept of media based on literature. In this War of the Worlds lesson, students read the novel The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells and listen to the 1938 radio broadcast adaptation by Orson Welles. Students then...

Use this U.S. History unit plan as a template for creating your own! Simply download the resource and edit the text fields with your own customized unit plan. This is a great jumping-off step, especially for newer teachers. 

Third graders observe the procedure for writing a single paragraph. They listen to a story and write a single paragraph response including a topic sentence, with supporting sentences.

Students practice their writing skills by creating a character sketch of themselves. After viewing portraits, they select one personality trait and put their own picture into the painting of their choice. They include a conversation with...

Students examine letters that US service people wrote to their family and friends while they served in Vietnam. They examine the daily hardships and the role of medical personnel and helicopters. They write letters in response to those...

Learners Write a persuasive essay that contains effective introductory and summary statements; arranges the arguments effectively; and fully develops the ideas with convincing proof, details, facts, examples, and descriptions. They write...

Students write and deliver a short persuasive speech using the POAM method. They also incorporate one of the three persuasive appeals into a written speech. Students apply what they have learned about persuasion and speech presentation...

Fifth graders read the novel "Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH." They discuss the various characters in the book, and the different types of conflict that take place within the book. They also research owls and rats to make comparisons...

Sixth graders read a story about intercontinental truck drivers and their journeys. In this transportation lesson plan, 6th graders read the novel Kamyonistan by Robert Hackford and discuss the travels of the truck driver through the...

Students investigate modern transportation in the 19th century by examining artifacts.  In this U.S. history lesson, students read the story Joseph's Railroad Dreams, and discuss the Golden Spike used in the first transcontinental...

In this families, holidays, and the United States worksheet, students fill in the blanks to sentences about families, holidays, and the United States. Students complete 10 multiple choice questions.

In this dialogue worksheet, students read a dialogue where they are making a reservation. Students read 2 different parts in the reservation dialogue. 

Students describe James Whitcomb Riley's poems and identify the themes they portray. For this poetry lesson plan, students read the history of James Whitcomb Riley and read some of his poems.